Music Shopping List: Lady Gaga, Michael Bublé & More

Simply put, October 21, 2016 is an epic music shopping date.  After last week – October 14 – was so-so at best, the third week in October is star-studded without question. It would be sad if Lady Gaga (Joanne), Michael Bublé (Nobody but Me), and Korn (The Serenity of Suffering) don’t post respectable numbers.

1. Lady Gaga, Joanne

[Interscope]

Joanne marks Lady Gaga’s first solo album since 2013. Previous album ARTPOP didn’t receive the same critical or commercial success of previous albums.  For once, it seemed that Lady Gaga fever had died down.  After a Grammy-winning jazz album with Tony Bennett and an Academy Award-nominated song co-written with legendary songwriter Diane Warren, Gaga seemingly has some momentum behind her latest project.

• Tracks: 14
• Featured Guests: Florence Welch
• Pre-Release Singles: “Perfect Illusion” & “Million Reasons”

2. Michael Bublé, Nobody but Me

[Reprise]

Michael Bublé returns with his sixth proper studio album, Nobody but Me (excluding live albums and his holiday album).  Bublé hasn’t been out of the spotlight, releasing Christmas in 2015.  Even so, To Be Loved (2013) was his last studio effort prior to Nobody but Me.  Commercially, he has performed exceptionally well on the charts throughout this career.  Nobody but Me shouldn’t be any different – at least on paper.

• Tracks: 13
• Featured Guests: Meghan Trainor
• Pre-Release Singles: “I Believe in You,” “My Kind of Girl,” “Nobody but Me,” “On an Evening in Roma (Sott’er Celo De Roma)” & “The Very Thought of You”

3. Korn, The Serenity of Suffering

[Roadrunner]

Korn returns with The Serenity of Suffering, its follow-up to 2013 LP, The Paradigm Shift.  The Paradigm Shift performed so-so on the Billboard 200, debuting at no. 8.  To find Korn’s last platinum-certified album, one has to go back to 2005 LP, See You on the Other Side. 2007 effort Untitled, to its credit, was certified gold.

• Tracks: 11
• Featured Guests: Corey Taylor
• Pre-Release Singles: “Insane,” “Rotting in Vain” & “A Different World” (ft. Corey Taylor)

4. D.R.A.M., Big Baby D.R.A.M.

[Atlantic]

Rap newcomer D.R.A.M. (Does Real Ass Music) makes the prudent choice to capitalize on success.  With single “Broccoli” exploding on the airwaves, he drops his debut Big Baby D.R.A.M. timely. The question for D.R.A.M. is, can he move beyond the greatness of “Broccoli?” Big Baby D.R.A.M. will tell.

• Tracks: 14
• Featured Guests: Young Thug, Erykah Badu, Lil Yachty
• Pre-Release Singles: “Cash Machine,” “Broccoli” (ft. Lil Yachty) & “Cute”

5. Tyler Glenn, Excommunication

[Island]

Tyler Glenn has created quite a stir with his debut solo album, Excommunication…at least in the Mormon community. Promo single “Trash” is controversial lyrically (“Maybe I’ll see you in hell”), not to mention the video.  Another pre-release single, “G.D.M.M.L. Grls” tackles the Mormon church’s views on homosexuality (Glenn is openly gay).  Excommunication sets up as an intriguing offering from the Neon Trees frontman. Interestingly,

“G.D.M.M.L. Grls” was selected as one of 20 songs on The Musical Hype’s playlist/article, 20 Notable LGBT Songs Released in the Last Five Years.

• Tracks: 13
• Featured Guests: N/A
• Pre-Release Singles: “D.M.M.L. Grls,” “Trash” & “Shameless”

6. I Prevail, Lifelines

[Fearless]

Post-hardcore band I Prevail drop their full-length debut album, Lifelines.  In 2014, the band released an EP, Heart vs. Mind. Like many post-hardcore bands, I Prevail features both a clean (Brian Burkheiser) and harsh vocalist (Eric Vanlerberghe).  Energetic, passionate promo single “Scars” serves as a fantastic preview of the band’s immense potential.

• Tracks: 13
• Featured Guests: N/A
• Pre-Release Singles: “Scars,” “Stuck in Your Head” & “Come and Get It”

7. Chris Tomlin, Never Lose Sight

[sixstepsrecords/Sparrow]

CCM veteran Chris Tomlin returns with his latest album, Never Lose Sight.  Never Lose Sight arrives two years after Love Ran Red (2014).  Ever prolific, Tomlin released a Christmas effort tin 2015, Adore: Christmas Songs of Worship. His best showing on the Billboard 200 came in 2013 when Burning Lights debuted at no. 1, a rare feat for a religious artist/album.

• Tracks: 14
• Featured Guests: Danny Gokey, Kim Walker-Smith, Matt Maher, Matt Redman & Jason Ingram
• Pre-Release Singles: “Good Good Father,” “Jesus,” “Impossible Things” (ft. Danny Gokey), “Home,” “God of Calvary”

9. David Crosby, Lighthouse

[Groundup]

David Crosby, one-third of legendary trio Crosby, Stills & Nash, returns with a new solo album,  Lighthouse.  Lighthouse arrives two years after the singer/songwriter’s comeback album, Croz (2014).  Interestingly, Lighthouse is comprised of just nine tracks.

• Tracks: 9
• Featured Guests: N/A
• Pre-Release Singles: “Things We Do for Love,” “The City” & “By the Light of Common Day”

9. Jimmy Eat World, Integrity Blues

[RCA]

Jimmy Eat World have been around for a minute…more like two decades. After a three-year hiatus, the emo/punk-pop vets drop Integrity Blues, their second album for RCA.

• Tracks: 11
• Featured Guests: N/A
• Pre-Release Singles: “You With Me,” “Sure and Certain,” “Get Right” & “You Are Free”

10. The Pretty Reckless, Who You Selling For

[Razor & Tie]

After Going to Hell in 2014, The Pretty Reckless ask – rather release – Who You Selling For.  Who You Selling For marks the third album by the band.  Household name? No, but could album no. 3 change that? Only time will tell.

• Tracks: 12
• Featured Guests: Warren Haynes
• Pre-Release Singles: “Oh My God,” “Take Me Down” & “Prisoner”

Also Released: Amy Grant, Tennessee Christmas [Sparrow]; Joe Budden, Rage & the Machine [Mood Muzik Entertainment / EMPIRE]; Leonard Cohen, You Want It Darker [Sony]; NxWorries, Anderson .Paak & Knxwledge, Yes Lawd! [Stones Throw]

Photo Credit: Interscope, Reprise, Roadrunner, Atlantic, Island, Fearless, sixstepsrecords/Sparrow, Groundup, RCA, Razor & Tie